You can't loose what you never had
by fader
Summary: Alex is very sad of moving to Kanagawa coz she had to break up with her boyfriend, Johan. She thought she would never fallen to a man again, thinking that no one could take Johan's place. But then she met a lad who taught her to fall in love again. How wr


You Can't Lose What You Never Had   
  
~ Chapter 1 ~  
  
Two months ago my mum had decided to move to Kanagawa, Japan. And now when  
  
all our stuff had been moved it was time for us to fly to Tokyo and after  
  
that take the car up to Kanagawa.  
  
As we were sitting in the plane my brother started to bug me.  
  
"Alex had to break up with her boyfriend, Alex had to break up with her  
  
boyfriend!"  
  
"Robin, shut up!" I said and tried to ignore him but it was too hard. He made  
  
faces and I had to sit on my hands to keep them from slapping him.  
  
My mum who was sitting in front of me turned towards me and my brother and  
  
just looked at us.  
  
"Can't you be nice to each other? The flight is going to take four hours and  
  
no one wants to hear you argue. I know that you loved Johan, and I'm sorry  
  
about this, but I had no choice. Be nice, ok?"  
  
Mum turned around again and I could see that she was upset. She never showed  
  
us her emotions but I knew what she was going through.  
  
My dad had got killed in a car-accident a year ago, and because of her  
  
emotions mum couldn't stay in Sweden. She loved my dad very much and his  
  
death had made her really sad.  
  
I got up from the seat and walked the two steps to my mum's seat. I kneeled  
  
in front of her and put my hand on her knee.  
  
"I'm sorry mum, I know you loved dad, cause so did I, but I loved Johan too,  
  
and I can't understand why you had to move to Japan of all places. I  
  
didn't even want to move!"  
  
"I'm sorry honey. But I think you will like Kanagawa. From the things I saw in  
  
the ad, it looked like a nice place, and you know that they say that the  
  
Japanese people are really nice people."  
  
I tried to hide my feelings, but I just couldn't do it. I was angry, upset  
  
and sad at the same time. Thinking that no one could take Johan's place, but  
  
how wrong wasn't I to be?  
  
Four hours later we arrived at Tokyo international airport, and even though  
  
I didn't want to admit it, Tokyo was a beautiful city. Mum saw that I was  
  
amazed but she didn't say anything although I could see her expression  
  
telling me 'I told you so'.  
  
"Just because I think it's a lovely city it doesn't mean that I want to live  
  
here." I said and gazed outside the window again, as we sped through Tokyo  
  
and the beautiful country known as Japan. ~ End of Chapter One ~  
  
~ Chapter Two ~ A few hours later I woke up and realised that the car had stopped. I saw a big house and wondered if it was the one my mum had been talking about. "Take your stuff and I'll show you your room!" Mum said and pushed me out of the van. "Take it easy mum! I can walk by myself. I've got two legs you know!" I said and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. As I walked towards the house I spotted a middle aged woman coming across the street towards us. She was walking hand in hand with someone, who I thought was her husband, and was right. "Welcome to Kanagawa! My name is Raeko Rukawa and this is my husband Mitsou. We live across the street and if you want anything or need anything don't be afraid to ask" the lady said to my mum with a smile on her face. "Hi I'm Britt-Marie and this is my daughter Alexandra." my mum said and pointed at me. "Hi! Nice to meet you." I said and shook their hands. "The same." The woman, Raeko said." I think you will like it here. Kanagawa is a beautiful city. "I bet it is" I said." I don't mean to be rude, but I have to go and unpack me things" "It's ok." Raeko looked at me and smiled. Then she turned to her husband and gave him an asking sigh. "Do you think Kaede could...?" "I don't know. We can always ask" Kevin said. "Alexandra?" Raeko looked at me again. "Yes?" "Do you mind if our son shows you a bit of Kanagawa some day?" "No, not at all. It would be actually be quite nice." "I'll talk to him, and then I'll let you know how it turned out, ok?" "Ok." I said and went then inside our house. Raeko turned to Mitsou again. "I think we'd better go back now honey." "Oh, it's ok. I don't mind you being here." My mum said and looked at the middle-aged couple in front of her. "We don't want to take more of your time" Mitsou said and smiled. "Oh, then maybe you want to come and join us for dinner someday? As soon as we have got our stuff in order that'll say" mum said. "It sounds nice. We have to accept the invitation. Just let us know when the dinner will be" Raeko said "Of course." "It was nice meeting you." Mitsou said, and with that he and his wife went back to their own house. ~ End of chapter two* ~ ~ Chapter three ~ The house was really nice. It wasn't big, but it was big enough for the six of us. It was my mum, my brothers Jimmy, Kim and Robin and me and my sister Daniella. "Alex, can you do me a favour?" mum called from the kitchen "Sure what is it? I said and walked into the room. "Can you go to the Rukawa's and ask for a cup of flour? I need it for the sauce, and I haven't had time to do the grocery shopping yet. I looked at my mum. She was busy cooking dinner. "Why can't you do as normal persons and order some fastfood? But ok, I'll be right back then." I said and went across the street. As I stood in front of the Rukawa's house I rang the doorbell and turned my back at the door just to see what was happening on the street; nothing. suddenly I heard a voice behind me, and when I turned around I saw a guy who was a few years older than me with the bluest eyes I had ever seen. "Can I help you?" he said with a smile on his face as he was looking me right in the eyes. "Hi" I said and smiled back at him. "Did you want anything in particular, or are you just going to stand there all day?" "Ehmm... I don't know" I said and felt how I started to blush." I've seem to forgot" "Oh don't worry. That can happen the best. You are new here right?" "Yeah, we have just moved in. I think I met your mum earlier." "My mum? So you are Alexandra?" he said and gave me a big dazzling smile. "Yes, I am. And you are?" "I'm Kaede. Nice to meet you!" "My pleasure." "Do you still don't know what you came here for?" "Well actually, it just crossed my mind. Is Raeko, your mum home?" "No, she's out shopping. Why?" I, my mum actually, needs a cup of flour for her sauce. We haven't had time to do our grocery yet." "Nothing else? Come in and I'll give you some. Believe me or not, but I actually know where we have our flour. "Oh, so you say so? Ok." ~ End of chapter three ~ ~ Chapter Four ~  
  
He closed the door behind me and then we went into the kitchen. I seated  
  
myself on a chair next to the kitchen-table and watched him walk around in  
  
the room. He saw that I was watching him so he stopped walking around and  
  
looked at me instead.  
  
"What are you looking at?" he asked  
  
"You." I said and smiled  
  
"Really? Why?"  
  
"I have nothing else to look at. I mean, it's not so exciting to look at a  
  
fridge, is it?"  
  
"Really? So you think it's more exciting to look at me?"  
  
"Ehmm...yeah." I said and started to laugh.  
  
"Here's the flour, and if you are nice, I'll let you come back another day  
  
to watch the microwave."  
  
"Must say that it sounds really exciting so I have to accept the offer. I've  
  
got to go now, but it was nice talking to you." I said and gave him a smile.  
  
"Yes, I must say that it was nice meeting you." Kaede said and gave me a kiss  
  
on my cheek. "I'll see you someday won't I?"  
  
"Of course you will. I live across the street. Remember?"  
  
"How could I forget?"  
  
"I don't know." I said and with that I walked out of their house back to our  
  
own.  
  
Back in the kitchen, mum stared at me, and I couldn't stand it.  
  
"What?" I said  
  
"What took you so long? I thought I told you to walk across the street, and  
  
not to the other side of Sligo. Tell me. I can see that you met someone."  
  
"Yeah. You know Raeko and Mitsou?" I said  
  
Mum who had turned around, turned towards me again and looked at me.  
  
"I met their son, Kaede, and he invited me to their kitchen to wait for the  
  
flour there."  
  
"So he was that handsome?"  
  
I looked at mum in surprise. "Yes, he was that handsome!"  
  
My mum and I had always had a strong bond between us, and she could, just by  
  
looking at me, see if I thought someone was handsome or not. And Kaede was  
  
definitely all that!  
  
"Didn't Raeko ask you if it was okay if their son showed you a bit of  
  
Kanagawa someday?" mum said. "Maybe Kaede is the son she was talking about." I felt how my heart suddenly stopped. "What did you say?" I asked as I tried  
  
to hide my expression.  
  
"I said, maybe Kaede is the son she was talking about."  
  
No he couldn't. Why would he do something like that?" I said and looked  
  
away. "I bet he has other more important things to do, than to show a total  
  
stranger his hometown."  
  
"Maybe, maybe not..."  
  
~ End of Chapter Four ~  
  
~ Chapter Five ~  
  
I walked out of the kitchen and into my room, and when I lay down on the  
  
bed and closed my eyes, I could only see Kaede smiling at me. Without knowing  
  
it, I fell asleep and woke up three hours later with the feeling that  
  
someone was watching me. I turned my head and saw someone stand in the  
  
doorway. As I thought it was my brother Jimmy, I grabbed a pillow and threw  
  
it at him.  
  
"Go away! I was sleeping and it was very nice! What do want?" I said and lay  
  
my head on the pillow again.  
  
"Is that the way you treat your guests in Sweden?" the guy asked and when I  
  
heard his voice I realised that it wasn't my brother. I sat up and saw that  
  
it was Kaede.  
  
"I'm so sorry. Did I hurt you?" I said and started to blush.  
  
"No you didn't. But why do you throw the pillow at me in the first place?"  
  
Kaede said as he walked towards me to give me my pillow back.  
  
"I thought you were my brother."  
  
Oh, I see. So that is how you treat your siblings?" he asked with a smile on  
  
his face. " I hope you're nice to your friends anyway."  
  
"Depends on who it is." I said and lay the pillow under my head. "But do you  
  
always walk into someone's room without asking?"  
  
"Depends on who it is..." he said and gave me a rascal look.  
  
I started to laugh at the sigh of him and he started to laugh too. I  
  
realised that he had stopped laughing and was now looking at me.  
  
"So what did you want?"  
  
"Well, mum asked me if I wanted to show you around and after having a  
  
private moment with you in our kitchen, I just couldn't resist it."  
  
"Couldn't you resist it, or me? I said and looked at him.  
  
I noticed that he got surprised, so trying to break the silence I got up  
  
from bed and walked to my closet, which still was three big boxes.  
  
"What did you have in mind? Am I supposed to wear anything special?"  
  
"No, you can wear whatever you want. I was thinking that we could drive  
  
go-kart." He looked at me, and when I turned away I could feel his eyes on  
  
my back. "Have you done it before?" I turned around again." Of course I have! I'm the queen of go-karts!" I said  
  
and smiled.  
  
"Oh, really? Though I'm the king of go-karts, we have to find out who's the  
  
best!"  
  
"Is that a bet or a challenge?"  
  
"A challenge, of course."  
  
"Ok. When?" I looked at Kaede. He had come up behind me and when I had turned  
  
around again to face him, I had almost touched his lips with my lips.  
  
"What about tomorrow? At noon."  
  
"You have a competitor, Mr Rukawa. And you can see yourself as beaten." The next day I woke up kind of late. My mum came into my room and told me that  
  
it was a phone call for me. I didn't know who it was so I put my dressing  
  
gown on and went into the living-room.  
  
"Hallo?" I said after I had picked up the phone.  
  
"Hi, this is Kaede." I heard that he had a soar throat and that he had  
  
trouble speaking. "I have some bad news for you Alex."  
  
"Kaede, go to bed and get well."  
  
"How did you know that I was going to say that we had to cancel our  
  
challenge?"  
  
Female intuition...guys only call the same day as the 'date' is suppose to  
  
be if they're going to cancel it. But except that, I can hear it on your  
  
voice." I said. "Don't even think about it. Although I was looking forward  
  
to it, you can make it up to me some other day, okay?"  
  
"Okay, you're an angel!"  
  
"Thanks. Most people say that."  
  
"I suppose so, and they are right..." he said. And I was shocked by hearing  
  
those words coming from him. I had only known Kaede for two days. "I'll call  
  
you when I get better, ok?"  
  
"Ok. And go to bed now, cause that is what I'm going to do.2  
  
"I will."  
  
~ End of Chapter Five ~  
  
~ Chapter Six ~ We said goodbye and I hung up. Kaede and I had spent the last night talking about nothing and everything and playing pool. I ended up winning all the time and it made him a bit grumpy. I went back to my room and my bed. But although I wanted to sleep I couldn't. I wasn't tired anymore, the only thing I could think about was Kaede. I had had so much fun with him that I hadn't thought of Johan once that evening, and it felt so good. I knew that Johan had forgotten about me by now so I decided to do the same. I got up from bed and took a shower and washed my hair. It felt really good to be clean after all those hours I had spent in a box, unpacking my stuff. When I had got clothe and had eaten my breakfast, which had become my lunch, I went for a walk in the city. It was a nice city with happy people everywhere I looked. It amazed me that all the people I met had a smile on their faces, but though it made me glad, I didn't care about it. Maybe I had found my place to be, who knew? I definitely didn't. I had so many thoughts going through my head at the same time, and in same way, everything had something to do with Kaede. It didn't matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't get him out of my head. I decided to do something about it so I went into a store and bought him something that always cheered me up when I was sad, or in this case, ill. I didn't know why, but I felt responsible for making him cold or whatever he was. Probably I was the one who had made him sick, so therefore I went to him and his family's house. I rang the doorbell and a girl opened the door. She seemed to be a few years younger than me, and when I saw that her smile was identical with Kaede's smile, I realised that it was his sister. "Yes can I help you?" the girl said and smiled. "Yes. I'm Alexandra." I said. "Is Kaede home?" "Hi I'm Aya. Yes, Kaede is home. I think he's in the living-room watching some TV. Do you want me to get him for you or do you find the way?" "I think I'll find the way. But thanks anyway." I said and Aya let me in." You've got a beautiful house." "Thanks. Mum was the one who did all the decoration." I went pass the kitchen to the living-room, and Aya was right. In the sofa Kaede sat watching a movie. I came up behind him and whispered a few words in his ear. "Hello stranger. How are you feeling now?" I said. I seemed to have scared him, because he looked like he had seen a ghost. "Did I scare you?" "Hi...better...yes you did..." "What?" "Hi. I feel better now and yes, you scared me. I didn't expect seeing you here." He looked at me." But now when you are here, do you want to keep me company?" he said and smiled at me. "Well, actually, I thought you would ask that so I brought something to you." I gave him the paper bag, and when he saw what was in it, he smiled even more. "You are my rescuer in need." He said and kissed me on my cheek." This was exactly was I needed. How did you know?" "I didn't. But I feel always a lot better after I eat ice-cream and cookies." I seated myself on the sofa next to him." I didn't know what sort you liked so I just picked one. Hope you like..." I picked up the ice- cream. "...vanilla." "It's perfect. Thanks!" "You're welcome. I'd do anything to make you feel better so we can have our challenge." "So you don't care about me?" Kaede said and looked me straight in the eyes, and he looked like a sad puppy. I didn't know what to say, so I told him the thrush. "Of course I care about you. If I didn't, I wouldn't be here, would I?" ~ End of Chapter Six ~ ~ Chapter Seven ~ It seemed that Kaede was out of words. He looked at me without saying or doing anything at all. I looked him in the eyes and smiled. His eyes touched me in a special way. I felt that he was watching me closely. I thought that he looked at me in a way that he hadn't done before, but I refused thinking that this wonderful guy was attracted to me. After all, I was 14 and he was.well older than me.17 I think he had said. "What are you looking at?" I asked and looked at him. "You." He said cautiously. "There's something special about you Alex, but I can't put my finger on what it is." "I hope it is something good." "There are only good things about you. Believe me or not, but that's the way it is." I felt how my heart started to beat faster when I saw him lean forwards to me. "Kaede.I don't think." he stopped and looked at me. "I don't think this is such a good idea." "What? What isn't a good idea?" he asked. "I don't know. Whatever you were trying to do." He started to laugh and I felt how my face turned red. He took his finger and removed something from my face. "This was what I was trying to do." He showed me what he had on his finger and when I saw that it was one of my eyelashes, I started to laugh too. "Here.make a wish and blow it away." Kaede said. I looked him in the eyes and blew the eyelash away. "There. It wasn't so bad, was it?" "No, it wasn't. I feel so stupid." I said "What did you think I would do?" My face was still red and because of that, I couldn't face him, so I turned away. "What is it?" he tried to turn me around. "Did I say something wrong?" "No. It's just so very ridiculous. I can't believe that I actually thought." Now I had turned around again. "You thought what?" He started to tickle me and I tried to escape from him, though it was impossible. "Come on, tell me!" "Ok, but just if you stop tickling me!" "What if I don't want to stop?" "Then you won't find out what I was about to say." "Damn, an ultimatum. Ok, I want to hear what you were about to say, so.I'll stop tickling you." "Thank you." "So tell me!" "I will. I thought.it's so embarrassing! But okay, I thought you were about to kiss me." ~ End of chapter Seven ~ ~ Chapter Eight ~ Kaede didn't say or do anything. He just looked at me. After a little while, he took my hand and smiled. "Well, even though it wasn't what I was about to do, it's definitely something I will keep in mind. Someday maybe." The day became evening and the evening went by fast. I felt so relaxed when I was with Kaede. We had talked about everything, and I had told him why we left Sweden, although I didn't tell him everything. I couldn't manage to tell him about my dad. I still hadn't got over his death, so even if I wanted to tell him, I couldn't. As I was sitting in the sofa with Kaede watching a film, I heard that my cellphone rang. I rushed over to my bag and answered. "Oh, hi mum! I'm with Kaede.in their house. Don't worry, I'm fine.we're watching a film and I'll go home as soon as it ends.Okay, fine. Bye.2 I went back to Kaede where he was sitting in the sofa watching me. "it was my mum. She just wanted to know where I was, and when I said that I was with you, she calmed down." "That's good." Kaede said and moved closer to me, when I had seated myself again. "Do you have to go now?" "No. I said that I'll go home when the film ends." "Good." He said and took my hand. "You know that you can stay as long as you want to, right?" "Now I do." The week went by fast and because of the fact that all the other families were on holidays abroad. I spent most of my time with Kaede and he didn't seem to have anything against spending some time with me. One morning when I was sleeping in my bed, I woke up of the fact that someone was jumping in my bed. As a reaction I took my pillow and threw it on the person who was jumping, and when I heard a very familiar voice saying that it hurt, I looked up and saw that it was Kaede. "This is the second time you threw your pillow at me." I looked at him. "Then you should know by now, that if you wake me up that brutal I get mad." I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. "What do you want?" He pulled me out of my bed and gave me my tracksuit that was lying in my closet. "You and I are going to play some basketball with one of my friends." I looked at him and gasped. "When?" "We're supposed to meet him in an hour, so hurry up." "It's easy for you to say. You have been up for hours and I haven't even showered yet." "You don't have to do it now, but you have to do it afterwards, ok?" He pushed me out of my room and into the bathroom. "I'll go down and make some breakfast, and you'll go in there and do whatever you have to do." ~ End of chapter Eight ~ ~ Chapter Nine ~ I made a face letting him know that I wasn't very happy with getting up 10 AM in the morning. Especially not when I had been up all night talking to my cousin Vicki over the phone. "Alex, your breakfast is ready!" I heard Kaede shout from the kitchen. "Come on! We're late." "I'm coming, I'm coming." I said as I put my hair up in a horsetail and went into the kitchen. "Here's your tea.can you please hurry up?" he sat down. "Kaede, calm down. It has only gone 15 minutes since you dragged me up from my beautysleep." He looked at me. "If you don't have anything to do, but sitting there, staring at me, can you go in to my room and get my shoes? They're in the closet. To the left." He nodded and went to get my shoes. I got up from the chair and showed him my number '1' on my tracksuit- trousers. Then I got seated again. "So you have been a player?" "Yepp. I was the guard till we moved. I've played in a club since I was about five. But before that I used to play with my onkels." "Were you good?" "I think so. I was one of Stockholm's four best pointguards. So." "So I don't stand a chance, right?" he smiled. "Right." I said and smiled back at him. "I'm ready now. Shall we go?" "Yes." He took our stuff and went out to the hall. "I'm just gonna tell mum." "No need to, I've already spoken to her. She let me in this morning and said that it was nice of me to take you out. Although I think she thought I was a bit crazy, just because it's so early in the morning." We went out of the house and I closed and locked the door behind us. As we were walking to the basketball court Kaede started to play with the ball. He passed it over to me and I passed it back to him. "Come on Alex, you're supposed to dribble with the ball. You can do that, can't you?" He started to get on my nerves by now. "Of course I can maybe I just don't want to. I haven't woken up yet." "Are you kidding? I've been up since 8 o' clock- Do you Swedes always sleep till noon?" "Yes, we do. Not everyone though." "Just you right?" I throw the ball at him. "Watch your mouth mister! You may end up getting hurt!" It didn't take long for us to go to the basketball court, and when we were fifty meters from the court, both Kaede and I spotted a guy who was playing with a ball. Kaede ran over to him, when he saw that it was his friend. ~ End of Chapter Nine ~ ~ Chapter Ten ~ "Alex, hurry up! There's someone I want you to meet." "I'm coming." I went to the two boys, who were talking to each other, "Alex, this is Hisashi. He's one of my best friends." I looked at the dark-haired guy in front of me. "Hi." He said. "Hi. Nice to meet you." I said and looked at Hisashi. I turned to Kaede. "How long have you two known each other?" "How long? I would say about five years. What do you say Hisashi, it's something like that right?" "Yeah, I think so." Hisashi looked at me and then at Kaede. Then he looked at me again. "What?" I asked him when I couldn't understand what he was looking at. "Oh.nothing. Shall we play today or what?" "Catch me if you can!" I said and ran away from there with the ball. I could see and I knew that both Kian and Mark were coming up behind me. I had only five meters left to the ring when I felt two arms around my waist. I shoot the ball and was then turned around by the person who was holding me. "Hisashi, let go of me!" I looked into his eyes. They were almost as blue as Kaede's eyes, but they had definitely the same deep. "I will, but not until I have said what I'm gonna say." I looked at him in surprise. "Go on, what is it?" He pulled me closer and whispered in my ear. "I think Kaede's is in love with you." Hisashi said and the he let go of me. Now I was even more confused. I didn't know what to say and Hisashi just went to get the ball. I sat down and pretended that I had to tie my shoelace. I looked at Hisashi again and he just nodded. Was it true? Was Kaede attracted to me, and did he really like me? The questions floated around in my head. I didn't see Kaede coming up behind me, and when he sat down on the grass next to me, I got so scared that I almost screamed. "Damn it Kaede! You scared the hell out of me." He looked at me and I could see the love in his eyes. In some way I knew that he didn't want to scare me, but that didn't stop him from starting to laugh. "You should have seen the look on your face." He said. "It wasn't funny!" I said and saw that he now laughed even more. "Yes it was!" he said. I playfully punched him in his stomach and went then over to Hisashi. We started to play with the ball, and when I looked at Kaede, I could see that he was watching every move I made. I didn't feel uncomfortable with him looking at me. To be honest I kind of liked it, and I also started to like him. He was always so good to me and everytime I saw his eyes I felt so safe and secured. After a while Kaede joined me and Hisashi and we played basketball for hours. When the clock stoke 7 PM, the three of us decided to go home. It wasn't very late, so we were going to go out and party. We were going to meet at Carlton Café which was a café where the parents of another friend of Kaede, Sendoh, worked. ~ End of Chapter Ten ~ ~ Chapter Eleven ~ When I came home, the house was empty. No one was there. It all seemed a bit weird so I went into the kitchen to see if my mum had left a note or something likely. There on the kitchen-table a note lay. I saw that it was my mother's handwriting so I started to read. "Alexandra. They called from Sweden, right after you had left with Kaede this morning. Grandfather had had a heart-attack and his condition was very critical. I left with all the others. I have spoken to Raeko about you being alone and she said that you could come over to them if you wanted. You and Kaede seem to get along very well.. I won't be gone for long, but though I know you're in good hands (with Kaede), I have nothing to worry about.I hope. I'll call you tonight so don't go anywhere. Love you! Mum!" I didn't know what to do so I just stood there, holding the note in my hand. My plans for tonight had been ruined, but I cared about my grandfather more than I cared about a party, so I went out in the living- room and picked up the phone. I dialled Kaede's number and when he answered, I told him everything and also that I couldn't come along that night. He asked me if I wanted him to come over, but I told him not to, "Kaede, it's okay. You don't have to. I'm gonna take a shower, watch some TV and then I'm gonna go to bed." I paused. "Thanks for the offer but I don't want you to baby-sit me. I manage just fine. You go out with Hisashi and Sendoh and just have a great time. Party for me too, ok?!" "Of course, sweetie. I'd do anything for you." I didn't know if he was kidding or not so I agreed with him. "The same here." "I'll call you tomorrow then?" he said and sounded a bit worried. "Sure. And Kaede.?" "Yes?" Don't worry, I'll be fine. I promise! Got to go, but have a good time now." "I'll try, but I can't promise anything." "Ok. Bye." "Bye." After I had put the phone down I looked outside though the window and saw that my siblings had forgotten their toys on the front yard, so I went out to go and get them. As I stood in the grass I felt how something sent shivers down my spine and at that moment I heard a roar. I turned my head around and saw that a car had hit a tree. ~ End of Chapter Eleven ~ ~ Chapter Twelve ~ I dropped everything I was holding and ran to the car. Smokes were coming out everywhere and when I opened the car-door I got trouble breathing. I pulled out the man in the front seat and lay him gently on the ground. I went back to the car to find out if there was anyone left in the car, and just when I had turned around to walk away from there to the unconscious man, I heard a sound coming from the backseat. I got into the car and found out that the sound came from a puppy that was caught under the passenger seat. I slowly moved the chair and got the puppy out safe and secured. When I got out of the car, I saw that gas was dripping from the car and because I knew that the car could explode any minute, I pulled the man away from there. Just when I had put the man and puppy in safe, I saw the car explode and noticed that everyone was coming out of their houses. I spotted Kaede all dressed up for tonight and tried to call his name, but I couldn't do it. Lucky me, Kaede had seen me and ran up to me. "Are you okay Alex?" he took my hand and embraced me. "Mum is calling the ambulance right now, so don't worry you'll be fine." I interrupted him. "Kaede! I'm fine, but he isn't." I said and pointed at the man. "Help me to get him in the right position, will you?" It didn't take long for the ambulance to arrive and when the ambulance-men saw the man they put him on a litter as soon as they could and drove him to the closest hospital. The fire-engine had arrived short after the ambulance and they were now busy turning the fire out. I stood next to Kian with the puppy in my arms and tried to make it calm down. It was shaking and I stroke its back and felt how a tear fell from my eye. Kaede put his arms around me and held me tight for a long time. "Alex, I'm staying with you tonight!" Kaede said softly and kissed my forehead. "No!" I pushed him away from me." I don't want you to be with me. I want you to go and party with Hisashi." I said and dried my tears. "You don't know it do you?" "Now what?" "I didn't say it earlier because I didn't want you to be more upset, but that man, in the car, was and is Hisashi's father. I don't think he's up for partying tonight. Do you?" "No, not really." I looked at Kaede and he looked at me. "So." he said "So.what?" "The offer still stands." "You don't give up do you?" He laughed. "No, I guess not. What do you say then?" "Let me se.if I say no, you'll go on trying to persuade me, and if I say yes, you'll stop. The answer is kind of obvious isn't it?" "Is that a yes?" I nodded. "I'll go and rent a movie and then I'll be back, ok?" He said. "Ok, and if you want you can change clothes. You don't have to be all that dressed up." He gave me another hug and went back to his own house. Me and the puppy went back to my house and I gave it some food and water before I let it out on the backyard. I went upstairs and took a quick shower. When I came out I heard the phone ringing so I ran downstairs and picked up the phone. ~ End of Chapter Twelve ~ ~ Chapter Thirteen ~ "Hello?" I said with the breath stuck in my throat. "Hi sweetheart." It was my mother's voice. "Hi mum. How is he?" "He's better, but he's not good. Is everything okay with you?" I told her everything. About the car, the man and also about the puppy. "Sweetheart.I didn't know. Are you alright?" "I'm fine mum. Kaede's coming over soon. He kept trying to persuade me to let him stay with me tonight. I had told him about your dad and when that with the car happened he just wouldn't leave me alone." "Well. He's a nice guy. Hold on to him." Suddenly I heard the doorbell so I told my mum that I had to go. "Ok, then. But keep in touch, and Jimmy is saying that you shouldn't do anything he would do." "Promise. Bye." I went out to the hall and opened the door. "Hi, Kaede. Come on in." He raised one of his eyebrows and gave me a rascal look. "What did you have in mind for tonight?" I looked at him and didn't understand a bit, but then it hit me. I was only wearing a towel. "Well.I can't tell you. It will ruin everything. Make yourself at home and I'll be right back." I went in to my room and put on a tracksuit cause I wasn't in the mood for doing all that with myself, and I couldn't find a reason why I should do it anyway, so I put on what felt right. It had been a rough day and it felt good to just be able to relax and watch a movie and talk about things that had happen to someone who I knew. But wanted to get to know more. When I came down, Kaede was sitting on the floor, playing with the puppy. He smiled and seeing Kaede with the dog, smiling, made me warm good inside. Maybe my destiny was to live in Kanagawa. I had got used to the place, and not to forget, the people. Especially one. "The two of you are very cute together." I said. Kian hadn't noticed that I had been watching him. So he turned around looking very surprised, and not to mention.happy that I had come back. "Well it's a sweet puppy." He looked at me. "Damn! You have put on clothes. I thought you and I would.you know.play the 'game'!" My eyes got big as flying saucers, but I knew that he was only kidding with me. "Sorry, it's just that I'm not in the mood tonight. Tomorrow, maybe.?" He smiled, got up from the floor and stood now so close to me that I almost could feel his heart beat. "Well, well, you never know do you?" I didn't answer him because I didn't know what to say. I sat down on the sofa and Kian joined me. "What movie did you rent?" I said as I poured up a glass Coca-Cola to me and Kaede. "I didn't know what you preferred, so I just picked one. I got 'Four weddings and a funeral'. Ave you seen it?" "Yes, I have, but I love the soundtrack to it. 'Love is all around' is my favourite. You know the one by Wet Wet Wet. It's such an amazing song!" I said. "Yes, indeed it is." I pushed the button 'play' on the VCR remote and the film began. Kaede pulled me closer to him so I lay in his arms. He was warm and I could feel his heart beat. The puppy jumped up in my lap and placed itself there. I remember that the funeral had been in the film, but then I fell asleep, so I didn't see anymore of it. Subconscious I heard Kaede say following to the puppy when it started to din. "Schhhh.let that wonderful girl get some sleep. She has been through so many things and I'm afraid to tell her how I feel about her. I'm afraid that it will ruin our friendship." My breathing became heavier, but of the fact that Kian didn't want to wake me up, he let me sleep and watched me all night long. The next morning when I woke up, the sun was shining and I felt better than I had done for a long time. Maybe it was because I had such a good friend in Kaede and I could talk to him about everything. Or maybe it was because I had had some time for myself. I smelled something fresh coming from the kitchen, but who was there? I looked around in the room and realised that I was in the living-room and I was lying in the sofa. It took me a while but then I remembered everything. The basketball court, the man, the crashing car and the puppy, and also me and Kian watching a movie here in my living- room. I sat up and saw the puppy coming towards me waving its tail, and also Kaede coming with a tray in his hands. He was whistling on a tune and his entire face was shining, but when he saw that I was awake he stopped. ~ End of Chapter Thirteen ~ ~ Chapter Fourteen ~ "Alex, you're supposed to be sleeping!" he said with a childish voice. "Sorry! Get back in the kitchen, and I will go to sleep again, okay?" Kaede nodded and went back to the kitchen. I lay down on the sofa again and pretended that I was sleeping. He started to whistle again and when I heard him I smiled to myself. I was thinking if this was really happening, and it was. A few seconds later he came into the living-room, placed the tray on the table and kissed me softly on my forehead to make me wake up. "Wake up sleepyhead! We have loads of things to do today, but first you'd better eat breakfast." I slowly opened my eyes and the first thing I was met by was his wonderful, deep, blue eyes. I looked at him and smiled, and when I saw what was on the tray I smiled even more. "Who told you I love strawberries!? This was exactly what I wanted. How did you know?" "I guessed." "No, you didn't. Who told you? I bet it was my sister. Am I right?" "How could she tell me that you love strawberries when she's not even here in Japan?" "Have you heard of the phone? I t was invented more than hundred years ago." "I'm not sure, but does it look like a banana? Is it something you hold to your ear and another thing you talk in?" "Yes, it is." "Ok, then I know what a phone is. But no, your sister hasn't called. She told me that the other day. Now go on. We haven't got all day." I smiled and started to eat my strawberries and everything else that Kaede had fixed for me. "Thanks Kaede. I don't know what I would do if I hadn't have you around me all the time." I looked at him and smiled and he smiled back. "How are you doing?" he asked "Well, I don't know. Everything that has happened the last days have just been too much. I'm really glad that you are here. It means so much to me!" "You know that I wouldn't want it in another way!" he said and gave me a big, warm and gentle hug. "Go on and eat your breakfast and I'll take the puppy for a walk. Have you got a name for him yet?" "Yeah, Snoopy. He was watching Snoopy at the TV yesterday and it looked like he liked it." Ok, cool. Come on Snoopy. Let's go." The dog ran over to Kaede and started to jump all around him. I laughed when I saw the look on Kaede's face, and then they were gone. "The puppy has left the building!" I heard Kaede say from outdoors, and I started to laugh again. I went in to the kitchen and cleaned up the plates and cup I had been using. I went into my room and changed clothes and when I was ready Kaede had come back. "Are you ready to go?" he asked whilst he was playing with Snoopy. "Yepp and you?" "I'm so ready as one can be. So let's go." We walked out in the hall, and Snoopy followed us. "Snoopy, you can't come with us." Kaede said. "Why not?" "We're going to the hospital.." I interrupted him. ".to see Hisashi's dad right?" "Yeah, and pets aren't allowed there." I hugged Snoopy. "Sorry sweetie. You must stay here, but we'll be back soon." I turned to Kaede. "Wait here and I'll let him out on the backyard." I didn't want to leave Snoopy, but I had no choice. Pets weren't allowed at the hospital and we couldn't let him stay with Raeko because they had a cat in their house. After a while I had let him out and me and Kian were on our way to the hospital to see how Hisashi's dad, Mitsoyoshi, was. When we came to the hospital people were running around and it all seemed a bit chaotic. We asked one of the nurses who wasn't running around looking like a frightened chicken, which room Mitsoyoshi was in, and she told us. When we got there, Hisashi and the rest of his family were there. Hisashi came up to me and kissed my cheek. "Hi Hisashi! How are you?" "I'm fine, thank you. And you? Are you okay?" "Yeah, thanks for asking. How's your dad?" "He's still unconscious, but he's better than yesterday. I forgot to call you yesterday, to say thank you for saving him." Now everyone who was in that room turned their heads to me. "Are you the one who saved my husband?" Hisashi's mother asked. ~ End of Chapter Fourteen ~ ~ Chapter Fifteen ~ "Yes, I am." I shook her hand. "Hi I'm Alexandra." She smiled. "Hi, I'm Mika. I owe you so much. If you hadn't been there, he wouldn't be alive, and I wouldn't know what to do. Thank you so much." "You're so much welcome! I think anyone would have done the same thing that I did. I just happened to be at the right place at the right time." "I guess you're right. By the way, he has said something about a 'puppy' a few times. Do you know what he means?" "Yes, I do. In the back of the car, there was a puppy. A black Labrador. He's at my place, and I call him Snoopy." I whispered. "I think it's a present to your sons and that he wants to say it himself so don't say anything, ok? I don't want to be the one who spoiled everything. The puppy is alright and if you would like to see him someday you can just call Kaede. I live at the same street as he does, so it's not so far away from here." "Okay. I'll do that tomorrow then. And again, thank you!" "No problems." I looked at the man in the hospital-bed. He looked so pale with all those tubes around him. His condition wasn't critical but it wasn't either stabilised. I knew what they were going through and it wasn't something you did every day. I felt pity for Hisashi and his family. Losing someone you truly loved didn't make you feel good. I knew and I hoped that Mitsoyoshi would survive. After a little while Kaede and I decided to get going, so we said goodbye to Toya, Myata, Hisashi and Mika. I prayed that Mitsoyuoshi would survive cause one death was enough for me. After we had left the hospital Kaede wrapped his arm around me. I looked at him and I could see that he was sad. Hisashi was one of his best friends and he felt sorry for him too. Neither one of us said a word when we were walking down the streets. We didn't need to say anything because there wasn't anything that needed to be said. "I thought we'd go and see one of my friends. He's working right now, but I think he can take a break. Don't you?" I couldn't say anything cause there was something that made my heart heavy, so I just nodded. "Are you okay Alex? Tell me if something is wrong. Can you promise me that? It doesn't matter when on the day it is. Whenever you need to talk to someone, I'm here." I felt how my heart bled. The car-accident with Hisashi's father had made all memories of my father's death come back. "I miss him so, Kaede!" "Who? Your father?" I nodded and Kaede drew me closer to him and just held me in his strong arms. "Don't worry Alex, everything is going to be alright." I looked up, and saw his wonderful blue eyes that always made me feel good. "You will feel better when you have eaten something Nuriko have cooked." "Nuriko? Sendoh's mother? "Yepp." I smiled. "That's my girl! Come on, let's go." We started to walk again and after ten minutes we were at the café. "I'll get a table, and you go and find Sendoh." I said. "If you say so." Kaede went away to go and find Sendoh and just as I said, I would go and get a table. I found one not so far away from where I had left Kaede and right after I had seated myself on the chair next to the table, Kaede and his friend, Sendoh, were standing in front of me. "Alex, this is Sendoh." I had been reading a magazine so I hadn't seen Sendoh's face. I looked up, and when I saw Sendoh, my heart stopped beating and my face turned all white. "Hi pumpkin!" Sendoh said. I couldn't breathe and didn't know what to do so I ran away from the two lads. "What was that all about?" Sendoh asked Kaede looking really surprised. "Did I say something wrong? What a first impression we got of each other!" "I have no idea! I'd better go and check how she is. I'll be right back." Kaede said. "Okay." ~ End of Chapter Fifteen ~ ~ Chapter Sixteen ~ Tears were running from my eyes, and they never seemed to end. When I saw Sendoh, I thought it was my father standing in front of me. But it couldn't be, cause my father was dead and therefore I had thought it was a ghost standing there saying the exact word that my father always did. I didn't hear or see Kaede coming, but when I heard his voice and felt his strong arms around me, I cried even more. "Schhh.don't cry." He tried to comfort me. "Tell me. What's wrong?" I looked at him. "It's a long story, Kaede. You don't want to hear it." "Yes I do. If I didn't, I wouldn't have asked, would I?" He dried my tears, and I told him why I had run off like that. "You know my father..?" He nodded. "What about him?" "When I was little, actually, through my entire childhood, well when dad was still alive that'll say, he always said 'hi pumpkin' to me." "But what has that to do with Sendoh?" "I knew you would ask that." I took a deep breath. "My father and Sendoh are identical. They are almost copies of each other." I picked up my wallet from my bag, took out a photo of my dad and gave it to Kaede. "That is why I reacted the way I did. I thought it was my father standing in front of me." He gave me back my photo. "I didn't know. I'm sorry." "Don't be. You haven't done anything and neither has Sendoh." I said. "Are you ready to face Sendoh again then?" "I have to. I have to explain everything to him so he don't think I'm a basket-case or something." We went back in and I apologised to Sendoh for my behaviour and for what I had done. "I'm sorry for the way I behaved. It's just that you are a copy of my dad, and he always said 'hi pumpkin' to me. My father is dead so that's why I reacted the way I did." Sendoh gave me a hug, a big hug and told me that everything was okay. "It's okay. I understand why you got upset, but everything will be fine. Just see me as your friend and not like a ghost, ok? I smiled. "Thanks. I will.see you as my friend that'll say." "I didn't mean to scare you. Can you ever forgive me?" Sendoh said. I started to laugh. "Sure, but it might take some time." "Excuse me, I have to get some fresh air." Kaede said and went out of the café. Sendoh and I looked like two goofballs were we stood. "What happened?" I asked Sendoh. "I don't know. I'd better go and check it out. Please sit down, and I'll be right back with Kaede." Sendoh went out to Kaede and I sat down. "Kaede, where are you?" Sendoh said when he was standing outside the café. "Leave me alone. Go back to Alex. You two were looking so cute together." Kaede said sarcastically. Sendoh turned around and saw Kaede sitting on a chair behind him. "Give it up mate! What's wrong with you?" "What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you? I told you inside that the feelings I have for her is more than just friendship. So why do you have to flirt with her?" Sendoh felt like a fool. "Flirt? With Alex? Sure she is a beautiful girl. And if you didn't fancy her I would probably make a move on her. But she is forbidden area for me. I'm sure she feels the same for you, so tell her how you feel. You've got nothing to lose." It was quiet for a little while but then Kaede opened his mouth again. "Sorry for being such a dick. It's just that.you know how I get.you know me when I start fancying someone." "I definitely do. Come on, she's waiting." While the two mates had been outside, I had got a phone call from my mum. She had some news, and if she had said those six words a month ago, I would have been thrilled, but now when I had fallen in love again, I got sad. I didn't cry, but my heart was heavier than the last time. When Kaede and Sendoh got back they both noticed that I was feeling low, I wasn't the usual cheerful me and Kaede noticed that immediately. "Alex, what's wrong now?" I looked at him. "You won't believe me." "What now?" "While you and Shane were outside, I got a phone-call from my mother. We're moving." ~ End of Chapter Sixteen ~ ~ Chapter Seventeen ~ Kian looked really scared but then he started to laugh. "Ha, ha, very funny Alex. I suppose you're having a real blast now. You almost got me there." I didn't move a muscle and when Kaede saw that, it was his turn to turn all white. You are not smiling, and you are not laughing. Is it true Alex? Are you moving?" I nodded. "You're just moving to another part of Kanagawa, right? You're not moving back to Sweden right?" "I'm afraid so." Kian looked terrified. "Alex, you can't move. Not now. Not when I'm so close." He looked at Shane. "Go on, tell her." Shane said "Why can't I move Kaede?" "I don't want you to move cause I have fallen in love with you." I didn't believe what I heard. Everything went dizzy and I didn't hear a word of what he said. "So what do you say Alex?" Kian asked I got back to the real world again. "What?" "What do you say about moving in with me and my family?" "Even if I wanted to live with you and your love, it's impossible." "Why would it be impossible?" "First, I'm in love with you too." He interrupted me. "So what's the problem then?" "Don't you see that, that IS the problem. If I move in with you, we will see each other 24/7 and that affect people in a lot of ways. And not to mention, what are we suppose to do when there is no more love, and you break up with me. I can't live with you then. It would drive me crazy to see you every day and not to be allowed to touch you in every way I want to touch you, and that I was used to touch you." I felt a tear fall from my eye. "Alex, I don't want to lose you!" "I don't want to lose you either, but you know what? You can't lose what you never had." I said and softly kissed his lips. "I'm leaving tomorrow, and I need to be alone tonight." I heard him tremble while he spoke, and saw that tears were burning behind his eyelids and running down his cheeks. "So this is goodbye?" I couldn't bare saying 'yes', hurting him even more, so I just nodded. He kissed me on my lips and looked into my eyes with those heavenly blue eyes of his. His eyes were soaking wet from the tears he had been crying, and when I saw that I started to cry too. "Don't cry Alex. I don't want you to be sad." "I know, but I am! You are the best friend I have ever had, and you mean also more to me than a friend. The loneliness I will feel when I'm leaving you, can't be described in words." "I will miss you too, and I can't believe that your mother is doing this to you." he paused ".again." "I'd better go. I have a lot of things to do. Tomorrow when I have left, can you give Snoopy to Hisashi? I know that Snoopy can make Hisashi feel good again. He's helped me." I kissed Kaede one last time and gave Sendoh a hug. "I'll leave the key under the flowerpot." I said to Kaede and went then out of there. I had left my heart in Kaede's hand, and I wondered if I would ever see him again after I had left Japan. When I got back home I took Snoopy for a walk. He noticed that I was feeling low and tried his best to cheer me up. "It's no use Snoop. Now when I have learned to love again, I have to move. Why is it only bad things happening to me?" "Alex, wait up!" I heard someone screaming. I turned around and saw someone coming towards me. "Leave me alone. I thought I made that clear." I said and continued walking. "Alex, its Hisashi." I turned around and waited for him to catch up with me. "Why didn't you stop?" I didn't say anything. "Okay, I see. I talked to Kaede two minutes ago and he told me. How are you?" Hisashi said as I started walking again. "I've been better. You?" "I'm alright now. My dad has just woken up and he asked for the one who saved his life, and he also asked for the puppy. Is that the one?" "Yes, he is. I call him Snoopy." "He's adorable. Cool name by the way." "Did your father say why he wanted to meet me?" "No, but I think he wants to thank you. I called Kaede cause I thought you would be with him, but you weren't. Anyway, will you come to the hospital with me?" "Sure, I'd love to. Just let me leave Snoop at home first." ~ End of Chapter Seventeen ~ ~ Chapter Eighteen ~ When we got back to the hospital we went straight in to Mitsoyoshi room. "Dad.This is Alexandra. She was the one who rescued you." "Hello Alexandra. I have you to thank for my life." I smiled but inside my heart bled. "How can I ever thank you?" he asked. "By just taking care of Snoopy for me. I have got attached to him these last days and it breaks my heart that I have to leave." "Are you moving?" Mika asked. "Yes, although I don't want to. It's just that my grandfather got a heart- attack and he needs some help with the medication so my mum has to be there to help him." "I see. But you will come back some day to visit us?" Mitsoyoshi asked "Of course I am. I have left my heart here. anyway it was nice meeting all of you, but I have to get back home. I have to pack some things before I leave tomorrow." "So soon? Well, well. Call me someday, okay? Here's my number.." "Sure Hisashi. Bye everyone." I walked out of the room, but before I was out of sight I turned around again and said to Hisashi. "Hisashi, tell Kaede that if I had had a choice, I would have stayed here." He nodded and that was the last thing I saw of them before I left the hospital. When I got back home I saw a bouquet lying on the doorstep. I picked them up and walked into the kitchen where I opened the bouquet slowly. I saw that a card was attached to one of the ten red roses so I picked it up and started reading. When I saw what it was I started to cry. It was a photo of Kaede with his wonderful blue eyes and that gorgeous smile of his. On the back of the photo it said: "What fills the eye fills the heart. Think of it once in a while and remember all the fun we had. Though we're apart, you'll always be in my heart.  
I love you!  
Kaede I took a deep breath, trying to calm down but it wasn't the easiest thing to do. I was shaking and cried.again. I didn't know how many tears I had cried the last day but it was definitely more than I had cried for a whole year. It was bad enough that mum had done this to me once, and I couldn't believe that she did it again. She had promised me that she wouldn't do such thing again when we left Sweden the first time, but she didn't keep that promise and I wondered what was wrong with her. At that moment, when I was on my way in to my room the phone rang. I walked out to the living-room and answered. "Alex." "Hi sweetheart." "Hi mum. What do you want?" "I was just checking that everything was okay with you and that you hadn't forgotten about tomorrow." "How could I?" "Don't go there Alex." "Why wouldn't I? When we left Sweden, I thought that I wasn't able to love again, and I wasn't. Not until I met Kaede." "I didn't mean to." "Let me finish, please. You were the one who told me to hold on to him and now you're taking him away from me. Why? Why are you doing this to me.gain?" "I don't want to have this conversation over the phone, and I don't want to discuss this now. We'll talk tomorrow, when you arrive." "Yeah, yeah. Whatever." "See you tomorrow, and get some sleep now. Good night!" "Bye." I was so frustrated. No, I take that back, I wasn't frustrated, I was pissed off. My mum had broke my heart, and she didn't sat that she was sorry or so about it. Was it something I had done? I couldn't find a reason, and I didn't care anymore. Was I ever going to live a normal life and have a boyfriend of my own? Or was my mum always going to ruin my relationships? The next-coming day I would leave with flight 341 to Stockholm and the plane would take off at 3 PM. I went to bed right after I had brushed my teeth. I lay on my side and watched the clock as the seconds became minutes. I couldn't sleep. My head was filled with thoughts of Kaede, and my heart was filled with tears. ~ End of Chapter Eighteen ~ ~ Chapter Nineteen ~ I woke up the next morning with Snoopy licking me in my face, telling me he had to go out or he would do it inside on the carpet. I got up from bed and slowly put on my clothes. My nose started to itch and in some way I knew that Kaede was thinking of me. When we got out the sun was shining and all the birds were singing. It was a lovely day and when I looked at my watch I saw that it was only 7.15 AM. I looked at Snoopy running around and I decided to take him for a longer walk this morning than I would have done. It was my last day in Kanagawa, so I went around in town, trying to find a place where both Snoopy and I could sit down and cool ourselves. I didn't think there was an open store anywhere just because it was so early in the morning. But I found a place where I bought an ice-cream to myself and a bottle of water to Snoopy. We sat down in a park and after I had given Snoop the water he lay down next to my feet. I closed my eyes for a little while and when Snoopy started to bark I opened them again. He had seen another dog coming in our direction and when the guy with the dog came closer I saw that it was Sendoh. "Hi pumpkin!" he said as he sat down beside me, and this time I didn't react. I just smiled. "Hi Sendoh! How are you?" "Fine thanks. And you? You must go through a hell right now." "I do. But I don't know what to do. I mean.if I could, I would stay here, but I can't.It breaks my heart to not be able to see him anymore, Sendoh!" "I see. If there's anything I can do.I'm willing to do it." "There is actually one thing that you can do." "What?" "Give this to Kaede, it's my phone-number and address and tell him that I love him." "I'm sure that he knows that already, but I'll do that. Anything else?" "Yeah, take good care of him, and you too of course! I have Hisashi's number, so I will call him someday. I'll be back someday to see how you are doing, so take good care of each other till then." "We will." "I got to go now. My taxi is coming soon." "Ok, but let us now how you are doing, ok?" "No problems. That's the least I can do." He kissed my cheek and gave me a big hug. "Even though I don't know you as much as Kaede does, I want you to know that I love you. You are a really nice girl and we will all miss you! Bye Alex." "Bye Sendoh." And with that I went back home with Snoop next to me. When I came home I saw that the post had come and when I looked through it to see if there was anything to me, I saw that one of the letters had come wrong. It was Kaede's letter. I couldn't face him so I put the letter on the kitchen- table and wrote a little note to him. "Dear Kian! When you are reading this, I'll probably be on the plane on my way.home. If that's what you can call it. Sendoh has a letter to you and when he gives it to you, make sure that you do as it tells you to do. Take care of Snoopy, because just as you he is one of the most precious things/people I know.  
I love you!  
Yours forever, Alexandra!" ~ End of Chapter Nineteen ~ ~ Chapter Twenty ~ Why did it hurt so much? I was in love with a guy and he loved me back. I had to leave him and my heart was broken. I felt like I had been stabbed over and over again. About an hour later the taxi arrived and when I said goodbye to Snoopy and left him in my house, with enough food and water, I felt worse than ever. But I had no choice. I couldn't stay, even if I wanted to. The taxi-driver took my bags and when I locked the door the phone rang. I didn't hear it, so I seated myself in the backseat of the taxi and looked over to Kaede's house one last time before the car drove away from Kanagawa, to take me to the airport. At the same moment as the car drove away, someone left an answer on our answering-machine. That someone was Kian. "Hi, it's Kaede. I hoped I would be able to catch you before you left, but I guess I was to late.again. I want you to know that none if these things that has happen is your fault Alex. You take everything with a heel kick and nothing is never too hard for you. You did what you had to do and I truly respect and admire you for that. You know where you can find me, and always remember that I love you!" I had left the flowers I had got from Kaede in my room in Kanagawa, but I had brought the card. I thought of Kian and looked at the photo when I was sitting in the taxi and suddenly the driver started to talk to me. "Broken heart?" he asked I looked up. "Yeah, how did you know?" "I've been young too. But that was a long time ago. When my wife died a few years ago I thought I would never love again just because I loved her so much. But I did. And now I'm married again. Life and love are two wonderful things. You just need to take care of them and everything will be fine." He looked at me in the mirror. "The two of you will meet again, and when you do, you will both realise that nothing has changed between you. You will also realise that you are meant to be. It might take a while for you to meet again, but you will realise that." His voice was so.soft, and I knew that the driver was right. Maybe things with Kaede hadn't ended, maybe they just had begun. "I guess you're right." I said to the driver and smiled. Right after I had arrived at Arlanda Airport my cellular-phone started ringing, "Alex." I said "Hi honey. We're outside. Have you got everything?" "Yes, mum. I've got everything." "See you soon then. Bye, bye." "Bye." Right after I had put the phone in my bag it started again. I picked it up again and answered while I was walking. "What now?" "Hi Alex. It's Hisashi." "Oh, hi Hisashi. Sorry for being rude, but I thought you were my mum." "Thanks a lot! No, but really, haven't you got over that yet?" "Yes, I have, but I just talked to her, and she always calls me twice. She always forget to say something, but not this time." "I see. Well I was just checking that you got home as you ought to, and that you were okay. Are you?" "Yes, I am fine. How's Snoop? And Oliver?" "They are both fine. I think Snoopy misses you. And he's not the only one.and I'm not mainly talking about me!" "I got to go, but I'll call you someday, okay?" "Okay, bye!" When I got out from the arrivals I spotted my mum. She was waving with her hands in the air so not noticing her would have been really hard. On the way home I thought of Kaede and also about what the taxi-driver had said to me. ~ End of Chapter Twenty ~ ~ Chapter Twenty-one ~ The years went by very fast, and it was now June 2003. I had spoken to Kaede, Sendoh and Hisashi a lot of times the first year. Our friendship had grown stronger in only a few months after I had left Sligo. But right after they had formed their team, I had lost contact with all three of them. Sure, we spoke a few times, but it was not like it had been before. I watch them play and I knew that those guys were going to go all the way, and they were going to do it big! I had been right, cause now it had gone two years since I had left Kanagawa.and Kian, and the guys had become Dallas. There were two new guys in the team; Fujima and Jin. I hadn't seen Kaede for two years, so I had no idea of if he had change personally or not. But what I was dying to know was if he remembered me. Dallas had come to Sweden to play with Timberwolves. And they won: 87-74. After the play it was time for the boys to sign some autographs. I thought I would surprise them, so I placed myself in line for the autographs. When it finally was my turn, I took up a book for autographs which my sister had given to me a week earlier. I lay the book in front of Hisashi, cause he was first, and asked him to sign it. "Hi Hisashi!" I said "Hi!" "Can you sign this for me?" "Sure, what's you're name?" "Alex." He looked up at me and I could see that he was surprised. "Alex? Alexandra?" "Yepp, the one and only." "Kae." he started to say, but I put my hand on his mouth before he could say anything else. "Don't say anything. I want him to discover it by himself. Talk to you later." I said and turned to Sendoh. "Hi Sendoh!" He looked just as surprised as Hisashi, but then he smiled. "Hi pumpkin! Long time, no see, right! Does he.?" "No, so don't say anything, okay?" He nodded and passed the book to Kaede after giving me a hug. "Kaede.could you write following." "Sure." he said without looking at me. "To the girl I love, who left her heart with me, Kaede, in Kanagawa two years ago." He started to write. "To the girl I love." then he stopped and looked at me. "Alex.?" he said low and with an asking look "Yes, Kaede. It's me." I said and smiled. "Surprise!?" "You bet it was." He arose from the chair, gave me a kiss n my cheek and gave me a big hug. "I've missed you so, Alex. We have so many things to talk about, and so many things to catch up with." He whispered in my ear. "Do you have any plans for the next hours?" "No, why?" "We need to talk. Wait here and we'll talk after the signing, okay!?" "Okay." I said, smiled and kissed him on his cheek before I went on to Fujima and Jin. Just as Kaede had said, we talked for so long after the signing. And when it was time for them to get going, I walked out of there with Kaede holding my hand. I knew that Kaede knew the same as I did. The old man in the taxi had been right. It had taken some time for me and Kaede to meet again, but just as the old man had said, both Kaede and I knew that we were meant to be, and we would cherish every single moment of our life together.   
~ THE END ~ 


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